Tag Archives: Puerquitos

Being from California we are blessed with an abundance of Mexican food, Mexican restaurants and bakeries. In my humble opinion, this is the best food ever. If you’ve never been lucky enough to go to a Mexican bakery, first, I’m sorry, put it on your bucket list and do it, second, it’s glorious. So good.

Imagine how excited I was when a friend of mine sent me a recipe for these Mexican cookies. She said they were a favorite of hers and they were shaped like pigs. This friend has excellent taste in food, so I knew I had to try them, plus pigs. I have to say, I was super sad that I’d never seen these before, so I found my trusty pig cookie cutter and went to work….

The brown cone is called piloncillo. I’ve seen it at Mexican stores, but never knew what to do with it. Now I do and it’s awesome!!!

Puerquitos or Piggy Cookies

1 3/4 cups firmly packed grated piloncillo

3/4 cup water

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 pound butter

2 tablespoons Brown Ranch honey

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Brown Ranch eggs, beaten, at room temperature

1 Brown Ranch egg, beaten, for glaze

Powdered sugar for dusting

Saucepan of syrup, it smelled like heaven would.

In a saucepan, mix the piloncillo, water, and cinnamon and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the liquid thickens to a light syrup. Remove from the heat and remove the cinnamon stick. Add the butter and honey and stir until they are mixed well.

My dry ingredient made into a well.

In a big bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Combine the dry ingredients with your syrup. Mix until well combined. Add the 2 eggs and stir until thoroughly mixed. This dough is going to stick like crazy, be prepared.

My ball of dough ready for an overnight stay in my fridge.

Place dough in plastic wrap, covered tightly, in your fridge until chilled or overnight.

I love this part.

Preheat your oven to 375. On a floured surface, using half of your dough, roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut your cookies out, recycle your scrap and roll out again. If you dough gets sticky, place it in the freezer for a few minutes.

If you don’t have one already get yourself a Silpat. It’s a game changer.

Wash the top of your cookies with the last egg. Bake for 7-9 minutes.

Notice I made some of my pigs into red wattles?

When the cookies are cool dust with powdered sugar.

It’s a powder sugar wattle!!!!!

These cookies are unique! The have a slightly cinnamon, slight ginger taste. But the texture is what gets me. It’s soft and cake like, so amazing with tea! And maybe a whisper of nutella. I think they will be my signature cookie for a while! Please try them and tell me what you think!